By Angela Atabo
Bishop Stephen Adegbite,Executive Secretary,Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), has disclosed that more than 40,000 Nigerians have been transported to the Holy land since he assumed office two years ago.
Adegbite, while speaking to newsmen on the anniversary of his two years in office on Wednesday in Abuja, described the achievement as a testament to faith, improved administration, and government support.
Speaking on the commission’s activities under his leadership, the NCPC boss said no pilgrimage year recorded fewer than 20,000 pilgrims, including participants sponsored by the government.
He said,“We have conducted five operations since I came. We had the first main pilgrimage.
“We had the Executive one, Executive two, then we have the Easter pilgrimage, and we have this current main pilgrimage for 2025 that is ongoing. We will conclude by March next month.
“We brought the biggest aircraft to Nigeria for the first time. We brought Boeing 777 that carries 525, and then the second time, we brought another one that carries 550 at once.
“We have conducted five major operations since I came on board.
“We had the main pilgrimage, Executive One, Executive Two, the Easter pilgrimage, and now the 2025 main pilgrimage, which is ongoing and will conclude in Los Angeles next month.”
According to him, the 2025 pilgrimage has set new benchmarks in airlift operations, including the deployment of wide-body aircraft never previously used for Nigerian Christian pilgrimages.
“For the first time, we brought a Boeing 777 to Nigeria with a capacity of 525 pilgrims, and we thought that was the peak.
“Then we brought another aircraft that carries 550 passengers at once. It shows the scale and organisation we have achieved,” he stated.
The executive secretary dismissed criticisms that government support for pilgrimage amounted to wasteful spending, arguing that spiritual investment yields national benefits.
Adegbite added, “Anybody saying pilgrimage is a waste of money does not understand scripture.
“Prayer is the sustaining grace we have as a nation; when pilgrims go to the Holy Land, they pray daily for Nigeria.
“There are things you do for people that they may not repay you, but God will, and for us, anybody that is saying it’s a waste of money to support pilgrimage does not understand the scripture.
“More theology will draw you closer to God but little one will take you away from him.
“So for us in Nigeria, we will continue to seek President Bola Tinubu’s support as he has done in the last two years for Christians and Muslims, showing he is not a religious bigot.
“We pray that the amount people will be paying for pilgrimage will not increase so that more people go on Holy Pilgrimage.”
Adegbite commended Tinubu for supporting both Christian and Muslim pilgrimages, describing him as a leader who believes strongly in prayer.
On the issue of abscondment; where pilgrims fail to return to Nigeria after pilgrimage, the NCPC boss acknowledged that it cannot be completely eradicated but said it had been drastically reduced.
“For instance, if 550 people travel and only two abscond, we must give glory to God. That is a significant reduction compared to what we used to have,” he noted.
Adegbite added that new administrative and orientation measures had helped curb the trend.
He also credited improved staff discipline, performance and security for the success recorded so far.
The executive secretary highlighted reforms in the selection of medical personnel for pilgrimages, saying the commission now prioritises experience and proven performance over paper qualifications.
“In the past, some medical personnel saw pilgrimage as a fashion parade. Now we select based on competence and feedback.
“If someone performs exceptionally, we bring them back,” he said.
The NCPC head said Nigeria remained the leading African nation in pilgrimage to Israel, a position recently agreed on by other countries at a continental forum in Kenya.
He disclosed that some African leaders were now seeking collaboration with Nigeria to strengthen their own pilgrimage programmes.
Beyond pilgrimage operations, the executive secretary said his administration was focused on completing the commission’s ongoing heritage building project and exploring the possibility of acquiring property in the Holy land to support Nigerian pilgrims during emergencies.
“It is my desire that before I leave office, the heritage building will be completed and inaugurated as a legacy project,” he said.
Adegbite added that staff welfare had also improved, revealing that all 180 staff members of the commission had travelled at least twice since he assumed office.
He expressed gratitude to president Tinubu and the First Lady, Sen Oluremi Tinubu, for the opportunity to serve, describing the commission’s transformation over the past two years as a shift “from disgrace to grace.
“As long as there is life, there is hope, vision and mission, and for us at the NCPC, pilgrimage remains a divine assignment and a national blessing.”(NAN)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
